Vacuum cleaner



March 16, 1943. D. M. DOW ETAL VACUUM CLEANER Filed Dec. 2, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENT R DEWEY M; 05W

BYGEORGE 0 WELL ES March 16, 1943.

D. M. DOW ET AL VACUUM CLEANER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 2, 1940 Patented Mar. 16, 1943 VACUUM CLEANER.

' Dewey M. Dow and George D. Welles, Toledo, Ohio, assignors to Air-Way Electric Appliance Corporation, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application December 2, 1940, Serial No. 368,110

Claims.- (0]. 15-157) This invention relates to vacuum cleaners and in its more specific aspects relates to a mecha nism for selectively applying an agitator slidably mounted in a vacuum cleaner nozzle to selected areas of the surface of a rug.

The object of this invention is to construct a vacuum cleaner nozzle or floor tool having a vertically slidable comb or brush type agitator therein that may be easily and selectively applied, at the will of the operator, to a surface being cleaned.

A further object of the invention is to construct a vacuum cleaner nozzle having a vertically slidable agitator that is fully supported against lateral and twisting motion throughout its entire length in the nozzle slot in which it is mounted to insure .a true and uniform vertical movement.

A still further object of the invention is to produce a nozzle organization having a handle hinged or swiveled thereto and in which the hinged or swivel organization has means thereon engageable with a portion of the agitator that permits the agitator to be selectively applied to a surface being'cleaned.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a selectively applicable comb or brush type agitator slidably mounted in the nozzle of a vacuum cleaner that is controllable by mechanism operablefrom the rotation or swinging motion of the handle.

Another and still further object of the invention is to construct a vacuum cleaner nozzle hav ing a spring retracted comb agitator vertically slidable in the nozzle and in which the vertical movement is guided by the nozzle walls leaving the spring free to function solely as the retracting means.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear to those skilled in the arts to which this invention pertains as the description proceeds which taken in connection with the accompanying drawings sets for the preferred embodiments and selected modifications and variations of structure incorporating the invention but such embodiments and modifications are not to be construed as limitations of the invention which is limited only by the appended claims and any and all modifications, alterations and variations of structure coming within the spirit and scope thereof are deemed .to be included herein.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a vacuum cleaner nozzle or floor tool incorporating the invention.

Fig. 2 is section view of the fioor tool taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1 showing details I thereof.

Fig. 3 is a schematic view of the operating parts of the structure of Figs. 1 and 2.

Figs. 4 and 5 show variations of the structure of Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the structure of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 shows a front elevational view of a modification of the structure of Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig; 8 is sectional view taken along the line 88 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is modified form of the control device shown in Fig. 8.

Fig.- 11 is a sectional view taken along the line ll-H of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is an elevational view of a comb type agitator employable in each form of the invention shown.

The effective and eificient use of a vacuum cleaner requires the use of some sort of a surface agitator that is capable of loosening various types of clinging dirt which ordinary suction or air movement will not loosen or remove. It frequently happens that this kind of litter is confined or present only over a relatively small area of a surface being cleaned and the remainder of the surface, strictly speaking, does not require the use of an agitator. It is also a known fact that agitators not properly adjusted or adjustable have a tendency to unnecessarily wear the rug in addition to the normal wear and tear of use. A practicable and desirable method of avoiding such undue wear and tear, while at the same time removing such surface litter, is to have a cleaner equipped with some means whereby an agitator may be selectively applied to any given surface and which can be readily retracted into the nozzle or floor tool when the area containing surface litter has been cleaned, but which at the same time will be instantly again available at the election of the operator.

Devices answering the above requirements are incorporated in the several disclosures to be set forth in which I is a nozzle of a vacuum cleaner floor tool to which a tubular element 2; adapted to receive a handle (not shown) is hingedly connected by means of a coupling 3 swingably or rotatably received in a housing 4 associated with the nozzle I. i

The housing 4 comprises a socket formation cylindrical in form, a portion 5 of which is formed in the nozzle I. Another portion 6 is a capor cover that is removably secured to the lower portion by means of a plurality of screws I. Betatably mounted in the socket formation is cylindrical element 8 which is provided with a suitable aperture adapted to receive the rectangular reduced end portion of tubular element 2 whereby the handle previously described is interiorly connected to the interior of the nozzle. The reduced end portion is preferably sweated or force fitted into the opening out into element 8.

Removably secured to th lower part of the nozzle is a lip organization in the form of a plate ll having a nozzle mouth l2 defined by a pair of lips formed in the lip plate I I. The plate II has a slot l3 (Fig. 6) formed therein in which an agitator I4 is adapted to slide vertically. The agitator is provided with an extension or tongue l5 which extends upwardly and to which a cylindrical element It is removably secured. The portion 16 i snugly yet slidably mounted in a socket portion I! of the housing 4. The cylindrical element 8 has a slot l8 cut therein as shown to form a cammed surface thereon with which the element l6 engages. Upon rotation of the element 8 the cammed surface forces the element l6 and consequently the agitator l4 downwardly into engagement with a surface being cleaned. The agitator It may be in the form of a comb as shown, or alternatively, a brush.

In order to retract the comb i4 after use, a spring i9 is arranged between appropriate surfaces formed on the plate ll and the element IS, the spring [9 being provided with a suitable aperture to pass stem or tongue i5 of comb it but itself forming no support for the comb, its sole function being to retract the agitator after use. The spring I9 is of the leaf type and normally acts against the element Hi. It should be apparent therefore, that when the handle secured to element 2 is rotated about the axis of cylinder 2 that gagement with the surface being cleaned. The handle element 2 while being held normally substantially horizontallymaintains the comb in retracted position but upon rotation brings the comb into use. The handle is so shaped and formed that when the cam slot I8 is in a horizontal position the nozzle I is in normal operating position.

The structure set forth in Fig. 4 is similar to that of Fig. 2. In this instance, however, the agitator I 4 is off set from the center of the cylindrical element 8 and has a bracket 20 secured thereto. Fixed to the bracket 20 is the spring 2| which is similar in shape to the spring i 9 in Fig. 2. A pin 22 in the cam slot of element 8 is axially slidable in an aperture provided in the portion I! and is rigidly secured in the spring 2| and the bracket 20. The vertical movement of the agitator is therefore guided by the aperture receiving pin 22 and the slot in which comb l4 slides. The spring ends bear on appropriate shoulders provided on the plate II as clearly shown in Fig. 4.

A further variation of the structure of Fig. 2 is set forth in Fig. 5. In this view the spring arrangement is quite similar to that of Fig. 4. The socket portion I! has an aperture in which a pin 25 is slidably received. The pin 25 extends through the aperture portion I! concentric with the cylinder 8. At its other end the pin is secured to the spring 23 and bracket 24 to which the spring is fixed. The spring 23 is generally of the same construethe agitator l4 will come into one bracket 24 is guided for vertical movement in the socket portion l1 and supports and guides the movements of the agitator M.

The vertical movement is accomplished in this instance by means of the projection or cam 26, shaped as shown, integrally associated with the cylindrical element 8. When element 8 is rotated on its own axis by means of the handle element 2 projection or cam 26 engages element 25 and depresses it, the element 26 being receivable in the recess 21 into which pin 25 extends. The spring 23 returns the agitator to its retracted position when portion 2 is horizontal.

Figs. "1, 8 and 9 set forth a modification of the foregoing in which 30 indicates a floor tool or nozzle construction and having an enlarged rear lip 3|. This lip is slotted as shown in Fig. 8 in which slot the agitator 32 is mounted for vertical movement. The agitator is provided with a pair of cars or extrusions 33 which are in line with the agitator and with a removable plate 34 and a ledge or extension 35 integral with the lip 3|. Springs 36-36 are arranged in the lip 3i as shown and serve to keep the agitator in a retracted position. The plate 34 is removable for the purpose of inserting the agitator and for removing same from the floor tool 30.

The agitator 32 is provided with an extension or tongue 31 preferably integrally associated with the agitator and extending through an aperture provided in the upper part of the lip 3!. The floor tool is provided with an outlet 38 which is bored and threaded to receive collar or bearing nut 4|. Tubular element 39 forming part of a into a recess 21 formed in conventional vacuum cleaner handle has a cam element 42 rigidly secured thereon which is provided with two highpoints 43 and 44. The collar nut 4! when threaded into the outlet 38 bears against the cam element 42 which parts are adapted for relative rotation. It is evident therefore that when the handle or tubular portion 39 is rotated a sufficient amount that either of points 43 or 44 or the surfaces approaching those points will depress the agitator to bring it into engagement with the surface being cleaned.

A modification of the foregoing is set forth in Figs. 10 and 11, in which the lip 3| is provided with a rearwardly extending housing 45 containing mechanism functioning in the place of cam ring 42. This comprises a shaft rotatably mounted in the housing 45. and having a lever 49 fixed thereon which engages at its one end with agitator 32. A wire 41 is affixed to the other end of lever 49, extends through an aperture in housing 45 and connects ultimately with handle portion 39 through means of an apertured lug 48 as illustrated; The agitator is assembled in the lip 31 in a similar manner to that shown in Fig. 9 and has the spring-means 50 arranged as shown for retracting the agitator.

It is evident from a study of Figs. 10 and 11 that when the handle portion 39 is rotated, shaft 49 will be rotated on its axis and through the associated mechanism serve to depress agitator 32 into engagement with the surface being cleaned.

Fig. 12 shows an enlarged view of the agitator I4 which comprises a tooth formation although any other type of surface well known to the art may be substituted. The dotted line indicates the tongue provided in the several views although when employed in devices such as illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11, an aperture may be provided in tion as spring 19 previously described. The the combinlieu of the tongue.

The above is considered to so fully reveal the gist of the invention that anyone studying the principles and mode of operation thereof may reproduce the same.

That which is considered new, novel and useagi ator is moved into cleaning position and means for normally retaining theagitator in a retracted position;

2. In a vacuum cleaner, a floor tool, a handle pivotally connected thereto for swinging movement in a vertical plane, an agitator mounted in the floor tool for vertical movement, between a cleaning position and an inoperative position, means for normally retaining the agitator in said inoperative position and a cam element carried by said handle and adapted to coact with a'portion of said agitator, said cam element having two high spots one of which is adapted to move the agitator to cleaning position when the handle is moved in said vertical plane to one side of a normal position and the other of which is adapted to move the agitator to cleaning position when the handle is moved in said vertical plane to the other side of said normal position, said high spots being separated by a low region permitting the agitator to move to inoperative position when the handle is moved to its normal position with reference to the floor tool.

3. In a vacuum cleaner, a floor tool, a hollow suction handle, means pivotally connecting said hollow handle to said floor tool, said means including a trunnion element secured to said handle and formed with a cam, an agitator mounted in the floor tool for vertical movement and adapted to coact with said cam so as to be moved to cleaning position when the handle is pivoted away from a normal position relative to the floor tool, and means for normally retaining the agitator in a retracted position, said floor tool and handle and pivotal connection cooperatively forming a suction passage extending thru said trunnion element.

4. In a vacuum cleaner, a floor tool, a handle pivotally connected thereto, an agitator extending longitudinally of said floor tool and mounted therein for vertical movement between a cleaning position and an inoperative position, means for normally retaining the agitator in said inoperative position, and a cam element carried by said handle and adapted to coact with a portion of said agitator, said cam element having two high spots one of which is adapted to move the agitator to cleaning position when the handle is moved to one side of a normal position and the other of which is adapted to move the agitator to cleaning position when the handle ismoved to the other side of said normal position, said high spots being separated by a low region permitting the agitator to move to inoperative position when the handle is moved to its normal position with reference to the floor tool.

5.In a vacuum cleaner, a floor tool having a bottom provided with an inlet mouth and a guide slot disposed adjacent and parallel to said mouth in a vertical plane, an agitator mounted in said slot for vertical movement, means for normally retaining the agitator in an inoperative position a. handle, means forming a pivotal connection between said handle and said floor tool, said means including an oscillatable element formed with a cam adapted to coact with said agitator when the handle is moved out of a normal operating position and to thereby move said agitator into carpet engaging position.

DEWEY M. DOW. GEORGE D. WELLES. 

